Emotion differentiation can be defined as the degree
of complexity people use when describing their emotional
experiences with language. The use of this nuanced language confers
a variety of benefits in the form of engagement in adaptive
behaviors and emotion regulatory strategies. However, little work
to date has explored whether differentiation can be enhanced by
intervention, the potentially beneficial outcomes of doing so, and
if there are individual differences that impact the ability to
engage in differentiation. In the current investigation we
developed an online intervention that targeted emotion word
learning. We then explored the impact of this intervention (vs.
control) on levels of negative emotion differentiation (NED) as
well as symptoms and distress across time. Working memory was also
investigated as an individual difference that may enhance or
diminish one’s ability to differentiate. Finally, exploratory
analyses assessed whether our intervention influenced feelings of
emotional self-efficacy. While no significant direct relationships
emerged between the intervention and prospective NED or symptoms
and distress, post-intervention NED was found to significantly
mediate the relationship between intervention condition and
symptoms/distress, such that increases in NED in response to the
emotion intervention were related to lower levels of
symptoms/distress one week later. However, these effects
disappeared after controlling for life stress. Working memory was
not found to be related to baseline levels of NED nor did it
significantly influence NED post-intervention. Lastly, the
intervention significantly increased prospective feelings of
emotional self-efficacy, which resulted in lower levels of
symptoms/distress two months in the future. Our findings suggest
that negative emotion differentiation may be malleable in adults in
response to a brief online intervention, and that enhancing NED may
result in meaningful changes in symptoms. Working memory did not
appear to influence these outcomes. Further, the current
intervention also appears to enhance feelings of emotional
competency, which in turn impacts symptoms. Given the positive
psychological outcomes associated with differentiation and
self-efficacy, future work should seek to replicate and extend the
current findings in more diverse samples.
Advisors/Committee Members: Coifman, Karin (Advisor).